Google is challenging the federal government over gag orders on data requests, asserting that it has a constitutional right to speak about information it has been compelled to hand over to the government.

Three other NSA whistleblowers were asked on Friday what they thought about Edward Snowden's revelations about the surveillance state in the United States and each was relieved that someone had finally been able to break through and reveal the truth.

After news accounts of how the government has been collecting and storing millions of phone call records, e-mail messages and other forms of electronic communications every day, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Thursday greater protections are needed — for the government.